Buffing mechanism



Patented Aug. 2.8, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,682,021 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO W. H.

MINER, INC., or

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BUFFING MEGHANISM.

Application filed March 31, 1927. Serial No. 179,863.

kThis invention relates to bumng mechanisms.

An object of the invention is to provide a bulling mechanism, the operative parts of which are entirely housed and retained within a single metallic shell, whereby the buffer mechanism may be `handled and applied to the usual pocket of the under-frame of a car as a unitary assembled and completely enclosed structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metallic housing or shell, open at one 'end only, and in which, springs of large size and high capacity are placed, and are arranged to co-operate with a friction system including a movable casing carrying the friction elements, in conjunction with a buffer head or cap which encloses the friction system and closes the open end of the shell, whereby the buffer head is guided in its operative movements by the integral walls of the housing, and serves to transmit relatively light shocks to the friction system which compresses the springs without operation of the friction elements, means being provided 'whereby under relatively heavy shocks free movement of the friction system is arrested and the friction elements operated to develop frictional resist-ance at the same time that the spring means are being further compressed.

' Other and further objects of the invention will more fully and clearly appear from the specification and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view, taken centrally through the end platform of a railway car,

and showing the invention applied thereto. Figure 2 is a horizontal, sectional view of the buiiing mechanism. Figure 8 is a vertical, sectional view of the buiiing mechanism, corresponding substantially to' the line 3 3 of Figure 2. Figure 4t is a transverse,

sectional view through the butfmg mechanism substantially on the line 1 -4: of Figure 2. And Figure 5 is a transverse, sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

As shown in the drawings, 10 denotes the end platform of a passenger car, provided with a central pocket 11, adapted for the reception of the buing mechanism, which is indicated broadly by the reference character 12, the buifing mechanism being maintained in position by means of a bar 13 extending transversely across the bottom of the pocket, and connected to portions of the underframe. The usual center stem is indicated by the numeral 14, one end of which is adapted .to abut against the mechanism 12, while the outer end thereof co-acts with the bulling platform 15 which is supported in operative position by the usual side stems, not shown.

The bufing mechanism 12 comprises, broadly, a housing A, yieldable means B, a movable casing or shell G, which carries the friction elements, and a buffer head D.

The housing A is made up in the form of a rectangular steel casting, including integral side walls 16'-16, integral top and bottom walls 1?*17, and an integral rear end Wall 18, which closes the rear end of the housing, the opposite end thereof being open. The top and bottom walls 1717 are provided with longitudinally extending slots 19-19 adapted to provide guides and stops for moving parts of the mechanism, as hereinaft-er described. Each of the walls 17-17 is provided with a centrally disposed offset extending from the rear end wall 18 forwardly, and terminating some distance rearwardly of the slots 1.9-19, the forward ends of said offsets providing stops 20-20 adapted for co-operation with the movable casing of the friction system hereinafter more specifically referred to. The side walls 16-16 adjacent their forward ends, are provided with integrally formed curved guides 1GO- 160, extending from the forward ends of the side walls to points approximately midway of the ends of the housing.

The yieldable means B is composed of two heavy coiled springs 21-21, within each of which is disposed a smaller coiled spring 22, the rear ends of the springs v21-21 and 22 bearing upon the rear wall 18 of the housing, while the forward ends of the springs bear upon a movable follower 23, the o posite ends 24-24l of which are arcuate 1n form and move within the guides 160-160- The rear face of the follower 23 bears upon the front ends of the springs 21-21 and springs 22, as before stated. The opposite face of the follower is provided with forwardly projecting lugs 25-25 which bear upon portions of the friction system in a. manner hereinafter described.

The movable friction casing or shell C Leeaoei is disposed within the housing A, being rectangular in cross-section, as best shown in Figure 5. The shell is made up of top and bottom walls 26-26, and side walls 27 2?, and both ends of the shell are open. The distance between the side walls of the casing is considerably less than the distance between the walls 16-16 of the housing it to permit the proper disposition of the buffer head D, whilethe top and bottom walls are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the distance between the top and bottom walls of the housing, and the length of the casing is `relatively small when compared with the length of the housing ii. rihe side walls ofthe casing C are provided with recesses, each of which accommodates boss 23 formed on each of the liners 23-29, one of the liners 29 bearing upon one side wall of the casing, while the other liner bears upon the other side wall 2T of said casing. rlhe opposed inner surfaces of the liners 29-29 preferably converged rearwardly, as indicated at 30, and friction shoes 3l3i are provided, each having a friction surface co-operating with the related wedge friction surface of the adjacent liner 29. Each shoe 3l is further provided with a wedge face 33 on the inner side thereof, adapted to co-act with correspondingly arranged wedge faces formedon a cent-ral wedge 34rwhich co-operates with the bull'ing head D. The friction shoes 3l31 are cut out at their rear ends to permit required movement of the same with reference to a rivet 35, which extends through the top and bottom walls 26-26 of the casing C, and the ends of which are provided with washers 3G-36 which are slidably disposed in the slots 19-19 of the housing A. The top and bottom walls 26-26 of the casing C are provided with longitudinally disposed extensions adapted to limit rearward movement of the casing by reason of their engagement with the stops 20H20 formed on the housing il.

rlhe buffer head D is slidably fitted into the housing A, and is substantially lil-shaped in form, comprising front striking wall 33 formed with an inwardly extending projection 139 which bears upon the wedge 3d. The legs of the llil-sha1 ed baiting head are formed by the side walls S9-39 which bear upon the walls of the housing A formed by the offsets in the housing in which the guides i60- 160 are provided. Each of said side walls 39-39 terminates at its inner or rear end with an arcuate shoulder 40, the shoulders 40 being slidably mounted in the arcuate guides 1GO-160, said shoulders serving to maintain the butfmg head in the housing by reason of engagement of the same with rivets lli-4l which entend through the guides M30-160 in front of the shoulders iO-Jet). rlhe side walls 39-39 of the butling head are of such length that they terminate short of the follower 23 when the various parts of the mechanism are assembled and in normal position.

ln operation, when the center stem lli is driven inwardly toward the bufling mechanism under a relatively light shock, the movement'of the same is transmitted to the buihng head, causing inward movement thereof with reference to the housingA, the latter of course being held by the walls defining the pocket ll. Upon initial inward movement of the buffer head D,` the wedge 34:, the friction shoes i 31-31, the liners 29-29 and the casing C, are carried inwardly in unison without any relatively displacement other than that which occurs in the initial tightening up of the frictionsystem, against the resistance offered by the springs 21-21 and which bear upon the follower 23, the latter in turn being engaged by the inned or rear ends of the shoes 31-3l. lll/hen the force of the relatively light shock has been dissipated, the buifer head returns to the limit of its outward movement, as permitted by the rivets al disposed in the path of the shoulders 40 et() on the buffer head. Under relatively heavy shocks, caus ing greater movement of the center stem le and of the louder head, following `the preliminary movement of the parts as above described, additional movement will bring out engagement of the extensions 37-37 on the casing C with the stops 20-20, thereby arresting movement of the casino' C, and upon further movement of the bulier head the wedge 3st is forced inwardly so as to act upon the shoes 31-31 to forcek the same against the liners 29-29, the movement of the shoes being resisted by the springs 21-21 and 22. Release of the mechanism after pressure has been removed from the buil'er head, is effected by the follower 23 acting upon the friction shoes to force the latter in an outward direction, carrying therewith the casing C, wedge and bufing head, thereby returning all of said members to the original positions.

lfvlhile l have herein shown and described the preferred manner ofcarrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative, and l contemplate all changes and modifications which come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

l claim: c

1. ln a buiiing mechanism of the character described, the combination with ahousing; of yieldable means within said housing and bearinef thereagainst; a friction system mounted in said housing, including friction elements and a wedge constructed to move in unison under relatively light Vshocks transmitted to said wedge and to move relatively with respect to each other'to develop friction under the influence of relative-'ly heavier shocks transmitted to said wedge,

Sti

loo

means for transmitting movement of said friction system to said yieldable means both under light and relatively heavier shocks; and a buffer head disposed Within said housing and about said friction system and operatingto transmit shocks to said Wedge, said buffer head being guided in its movements by said housing.

2. In a bufling mechanism of the character described, the combination with a housing; of yieldable means Within said housingl and bearing thereagainst; a friction system mounted in said housing, including friction elements and a Wedge constructed to move in unison under relatively light shocks transmitted to said Wedge and to move relatively With respect to each other to develop friction under Ithe influence of relatively heavier shocks transmitted to said wedge; means for transmitting movement of said friction system to said yieldable means both under light and relatively heavier shocks; and a lil-shaped butler head disposed in said housing having means adapted to transmit shocks to said Wedge, the legs of said buffer head being interposed between said friction Asystem and the Walls of said housing.

In a friction shock absorbing mechanism., the combination with a housing; a friction system, including a casing mounted in said housing and movable With respect to the latter; friction elements, including a Wedge, carried by said casing; means for effeet-ing movement of said Wedge and friction elements in unison With said casing` under light shocks and relatively to each other and to said casing under heavier shocks; yieldable means for resisting movement of said friction system; and a buffer head fitting within said housing and disposed about said friction system, said head being guided by said housing.

a butiing mechanism of the character described, the combination With a housing open at one end; spring resistance means disposed Within said housing; a spring follower bearing on said means; a friction casing movably mounted in said housing; friction shoes cooperating With said casing and bearing upon said spring follower, said frietion shoes being provided With Wedge faces; a Wedge engaging the Wedge faces of the shoes; means extending through said casing and slidably mounted in said housing for limiting outward movement of said casing; and a buifing head having means engageable With said Wedge and provided with portions closing the end of said housing and straddling said casing, said latter portions having shoulders thereon; and means eXtending through said housing and adapted to engage the shoulders on the buffer head for limiting outward movement of the latter.

5. In a bufling mechanism, the combination with a housing open at one end; yieldable means disposed Within said housing; a follower' bearing against said yieldable means, a casing movably mounted in said housing and provided with interior friction surfaces; friction shoes bearing on said follower and having friction surfaces engaging said casing friction surfaces; a pressure transmitting member having Wedging engagement With said shoes; and a U-shaped buffer head having means bearing on the pressure transmitting member, the legs of said buffer head straddling said casing, and provided with means engageable With guides formed integrally With said housing; and members extending through the Walls of said housing and engageable with the means on said builing head to limit the outward movement thereof.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23rd day of March, 1927.

JOHN F. OCON N OR. 

